V-041 ENTEROCUTANEOUS FISTULA TAKEDOWN AND VENTRAL HERNIA REPAIR WITH PREPERITONEAL MESH

Abstract

Abstract In this video, we present a 48-year-old otherwise healthy man with a history of perforated appendicitis status post exploratory laparotomy and appendectomy, complicated by an intraabdominal abscess requiring re-exploration and subsequent midline wound dehiscence, incisional ventral hernia, and enterocutaneous fistula managed with a drain. Plastic surgery performed a split thickness skin graft of his midline wound, and his drain was kept in place until surgery. The patient was taken to the operating room for a takedown of his enterocutaneous fistula and an open repair of his incisional ventral hernia. We entered the abdomen in the midline, far away from the fistula. After lysing omental and bowel adhesions, we identified the patient's drain entering the small bowel and exiting about 10 cm distally. We removed the drain from the small bowel and performed a small bowel resection, including the entry and exit points of the drain, and a stapled side-to-side antiperistaltic anastomosis. Preperitoneal planes were developed bilaterally, and the peritoneum was rearranged over the bowel and partially closed to the omentum. We placed a biologic mesh into the preperitoneal plane and secured it in place with transfascial sutures. We then performed a multilayer closure of the fascia and dermis and an incisional negative pressure dressing was placed over the wound. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 4 after tolerating a regular diet and having full return of bowel function. In summary, this video demonstrates several important operative techniques in our approach to this complex case.